Hadaka Matsuri—literally, “naked festival”—is a Shinto tradition observed all over Japan, usually not long after New Year’s Day. Rituals related to its observance vary, but one custom that remains consistent is the dress code. For the most part, participants wear nothing more than a traditional white fundoshi, or loincloth. One particularly unusual ritual involves them chasing a fully naked man who has been specially selected for the event. What is this intended to accomplish? Discuss
Month: May 2021
straggly
Henry David Thoreau
Most men, even in this comparatively free country, through mere ignorance and mistake, are so occupied with the factitious cares and superfluously coarse labors of life that its finer fruits cannot be plucked by them. Discuss
sponge
loofah – Not a sponge but a dried tropical fruit used as a sponge. More…
sponge bath – An all-over washing of the body with a sponge or washcloth instead of taking a bath or shower. More…
bibulous – First meant “absorbent, like a sponge,” and later figuratively meant “addicted to alcohol.” More…
sponge – From Latin spongia, and Greek sphoggos, “water growth.” More…
set in cement
Firmly or permanently established; not subject to change; unalterable. Watch the video
The Dream Argument
When people dream, they often are not aware of the fact that the experiences they are having exist only in their minds. It is precisely this phenomenon that has given rise to the dream argument, a philosophical postulation that contends that our senses, on which we rely to distinguish reality from illusion, cannot be fully trusted. Both Plato and Descartes, among other prominent philosophers, expounded on this topic. What successful film trilogy is based on this premise? Discuss
dubitable
Definition: (adjective) Open to doubt or suspicion.
Synonyms: doubtful, in question, dubious.
Usage: Tom insists that his business is doing well, but from the looks of his threadbare suit and worn shoes, his success is dubitable.
Discuss
vow
drawing the nail – Means absolving oneself of a vow. More…
votal – Means “associated with or having the nature of a vow.” More…
vote – From Latin votum, “vow, wish,” which was its original meaning in English. The word had a number of meanings—now obsolete—before it took on the sense (in the 15th century) of “a formal expression of one’s opinion or approval or disapproval of a matter, especially a candidate, motion, or proposal.” More…
First American in Space (1961)
In 1961, 23 days after Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to orbit Earth, astronaut Alan Shepard became the first American to be launched into space. Shepard’s suborbital flight—part of the US space program Project Mercury—reached a height of 115 miles (185 km). He performed several maneuvers of his capsule, Freedom 7, but returned after only a 15-minute flight. Although Gagarin was the first human in space, Shepard was the first to return in what way? Discuss
Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo, or the Fifth of May, is a national holiday in Mexico commemorating the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, in which Mexican troops under General Ignacio Zaragoza defeated the invading French forces of Napoleon III. The anniversary of this event is celebrated not only in Mexico but in many American communities with large Mexican-American populations—especially in the southwestern states of Texas, Arizona, and southern California. The events include parades, patriotic speeches, bullfights, barbecues, and beauty contests. Discuss